Last week I was fortunate enough to be in Manhattan for work.
And while Ontario’s TV ads may claim, ‘there’s no place like this…’, they really should be referring to New York City.
It happened to be raining on my second day, constant but not a major storm by any account.
However, just like an old-time dance number, out pop the umbrellas. Seemingly everyone has one. And those who don’t can easily make a purchase from a street vendor, who appears out of nowhere, as if on cue.
And talk about coordination. People in Mantattan know how to navigate the crowded streets under an umbrella without hitting anyone in the face. It’s practically a feat of acrobatic prowess. Who choreographs the City?
I, unfortunately, was not so adept at the movements. And not wanting to put a damper on anyone else, I gave up after a few blocks, opting instead to expose myself to the elements.
How very Toronto-esque of me, I thought.
Today, during our afternoon of wet snow, many people (myself included) were caught without umbrellas. Did the entrepreneurial vendors appear to cash in on inclemency? Did most of us pull an umbrella from our collective sleeves?
Not a chance.
We just wandered around, sopping, cold and grumbling all the way.
To me that’s the difference between Toronto and New York: They refuse to submit. We prefer to soak it all up.
